Have you ever wondered how people go from casual tea drinkers to tea connoisseurs? One of my favorite business strategies is working people up the ladder of tea quality. It’s a natural progression because most people don’t want to start their tea journey at the very top. Surprisingly, this approach mirrors my own experience with tea. I didn’t start with high-grade teas—I worked my way up.

When I was in Taiwan, I began drinking some fairly high-quality teas. They weren’t cheap, but they made me feel good. It was around that time I met my tea mentor, though at first, he wasn’t my friend or teacher. He owned a tea shop and restaurant. One day, I told him how much I enjoyed making and drinking tea. He asked me what kind of tea I was drinking. After I told him, he quickly got up from his chair, went to the back of his restaurant, and returned with a bag of tea. Instead of being condescending, he wanted to introduce me to a higher quality tea. I was touched. I don’t remember exactly, but I think I bought it from him—or maybe it was a gift.

When I got home and brewed it, I was blown away. This tea was ten times better than anything I had been drinking! The crazy thing is that this tea, as amazing as it was, was nowhere near the top of the tea quality scale. Also, it was about the same price as I’d been spending on a more commercial tea. That’s part of what’s so fascinating about tea: the journey is endless, much like wine.

That experience formed the basis of my business model. When I get a new account, I always try to introduce them to better and better teas over time. This method allows customers to gradually 'level up' their taste and appreciation for tea quality.

It was almost a running joke in the early days that every time I spoke to my accounts, I’d say, “I’ve got a new tea, and this is the best tea I’ve ever had!” I was always discovering better teas and bringing them back to my customers. I remember one of my accounts in New York—a beautiful tea shop on Madison Avenue. I was really impressed with the shop; they had an incredible clientele. People like Yoko Ono would come in to buy tea.

They started with Four Seasons Spring, a popular tea cultivar in Taiwan known for its fresh, floral flavor. The aroma of that tea will always remind me of Taiwan—clean, crisp, and floral. Every time they ordered, I made sure to include samples of higher-quality teas. This way, they could experience new flavors and slowly move up the ladder of tea quality. It was an effective way to educate them and deepen their appreciation for tea.

Not everyone has the curiosity or ability to discern the nuances of high-quality tea, but for those who do, the journey never ends. There’s always something new to discover. For those who are willing to take the time, the tea journey is endless—and always rewarding.